Trial of the Innocent
by Blue-Bird-11
Summary: An Innocent life on trial for loyalty. Will she betray her friends or suffer the consequences? Will Katara will stay strong until the end? One-Shot. Zutara. Dedicated to ImmortalSymphony.


**This story has been sitting on my computer for a long time, waiting to be showed. I finally pulled it up and corrected some simple mistakes here and there.**

**Dedicated to ImmortalSymphony! Luv You! Enjoy!**

(Katara POV)

I struggled against the hands that gripped me, pulling away from the low table I was brought to. They wanted to break me but I would not let them.

The Dai Lee had cornered us when we were returning to our hotel in Ba Sing Sei late at night. Zuko and I had been hiding in Ba Sing Sei while we waited for Aang to come back from a spirit quest after the invasion failed. They had ambushed us and before I knew it, I couldn't see a thing until they removed the blindfold and forced us here.

In the back on my mind I heard Zuko being dragging into the room, like me. I glanced over at him, seeing he was only in loose black pants. He had apparently been stripped of all possessions, and probably bending.

All my stuff had been taken, so I stood, struggling, in my wraps. My bending had been taken from me by a drink they forced me to take.

"Let us go!" Zuko yelled in anger. The Dai Lee had been slowly breaking us for a fort night. "We've done nothing! Let us go!" He got slapped to shut him up. This is the first time I've seen him in days, and he doesn't look to good. Bruises, burns and cuts covered his body from head to toe. I had been beaten on occasion, but they had stayed away from me, surprisingly.

"Tie her down." A calm voice said from the darkness. My eyes widened and I struggled harder. They eventually pulled me to the table and tied down my hands, then feet.

I found myself looking up at an earth ceiling, ignoring everything they said. A pair of gloved hands slowly began to attach wires to my metal cuffs and a machine on the wall. I watched in horror as he turned the dial slightly.

A sharp surge of electricity shot through me. I bit my tongue, grimacing in pain. It felt as though my whole body had fallen asleep and I was feeling the pins-and-needles, but ten times worse.

"Stop!" Zuko yelled." She's done nothing! I'm the one you want, not her!" Let her go!" He begged.

"She's strong," A voice said, ignoring Zuko all together. I began to fidget, the shock getting highly painful. "Turn it higher." Zuko roared in anger, thrashing about. The hand turned the dial farther.

The pain was unbearable. My eyes widened and my mouth opened in a silent scream. My back arched in pain as the fire began to burn my nerves. I could feel my bone and blood burning to ash. I couldn't see flames, but I felt them char my entire body, inside out.

The dial was released slightly. My back fell to the table as I lay there, panting and eyes wide. My heart pounded loudly in my chest as my head reeled, feeling dizzy.

"Will you tell us were the Avatar's camp is?" The Dai Lee asked. So this is what they wanted. I took a deep breath and opened my mouth, sealing my doom.

"Never," I said in a breathless voice. The dial twitched and I cried out, the electricity, flying along my limbs.

"Will you tell us were the Avatar's camp is?" They asked agin. I shook my head, my voice gone. The pain was unbearable, but I would not betray Aang, Sokka or...Zuko. They spun the dial as far as it could go.

I screamed.

I heard the faint noise of another voice calling my name before the pain took me as its own.

My world went dark.

**~000~000~000~000~**

(Zuko POV)

I watched in horror as she tried to stay strong, yet I could see the pain on her face. It tore my heart apart to see her suffer this way.

"Stop!" I yelled. If they continued they'd end up killing her. "She's done nothing! I'm the one you want, not her! Let her go!" I didn't know were all that came from, but I couldn't see her in pain.

They completely ignored me, turning up the electricity. I knew the Dai Lee were low, but electrified? This sounded more like my insane sister.

I saw her eyes widen and her mouth opened, yet no noise came out. Her back arched from the table as the electricity coursed through her body. They turned it down slightly and she slumped onto the table, panting for air.

"Will you tell us were the Avatar's camp is?" They asked her. I saw her eyes flash through her pain and her lips opened.

"Never," She breathed. They teased the dial, causing her to cry out. They asked again, but she shook her head defiantly.

The world moved slowly. The dial spun to the maximum and she screamed. An ear splitting scream that made my blood freeze. I was suddenly running towards her, pushing back my guards.

"Katara!" I called, just as her eyes closed and her body relaxed. I tore off the shackles, ignoring the searing pain in my hands. I lifted her head, cradling it softly. I saw she was breathing, but she was struggling.

"Get him!" A guard yelled. I felt large hands grab my arms and haul me away from her. I struggled, trying to get to Katara. She couldn't die, she just couldn't. I pulled against my guards, they could not take her from me! I could not loose someone else, especially not Katara because...because...I love her.

I was blindfolded again and dragged back to my cell. They threw me in roughly, but I didn't stay down. I ripped off my blindfold and slammed my fists against the door. I kept banging in anger until my knuckles bled. There was a slight burn on my palms from the electricity, but that didn't matter. I realize I love the perfect girl, and she is taken from me.

Have the spirits cursed me? What did I do to deserve the torture of loosing everyone I care about?

"Where is she?" I yelled at the guards standing by the door. They ignored me. "Damn it, where is she?" They ignored me again. I started to pound on the door again when I saw a guard dragging a limp Katara in my direction. He motioned with his hand and the cell opened. He tossed Katara inside before closing it and stalking away.

"Katara..." I breathed before rushing over to her form. She was limp and pale, her face blank with only the red marks on her wrists and ankles showing what she's endured.

"Please Katara, wake up." I begged. I did not want to loose her. I could not, it would hurt too much to bare.

"Katara...wake up. Please, please wake up." I choked back a sob. I had grown up thinking emotions where weak, that I could not cry, so when a warm tear slid down my unscarred cheek, I couldn't hold it back. The dam broke free, all the emotions I kept bottled up were set loose with one look at the limp body in my arms.

I began to cry silently, my shoulders shaking. Two more tears fell, landing on Katara's dark skin. I closed my eyes, trying to stop the flow of tears when a soft voice reached my ears.

"So you...do have a...heart." A soft voice whispered, the smallest hint of humor fluttering around the words.

My eyes flew open, locking with a pair of blue. She smiled softly at me, reaching for me with a shaking hand. She wiped away my tears with her thumb.

"Please don't cry over me," Her voice was a breathless sigh. "I'm not worth it." I began to protest when she covered my lips with her finger. "Shh...I would not like...my last image of you...to be so...sad." A strained smile before a cough.

"No...Katara," My voice wavered. "You can't leave me. Please don't go." She stroked my scar softly before whispering her final three words, the light leaving her eyes.

"I love you."

**~000~000~000~**

**Really sad I know, but I wanted to do something sad and tragic. Enjoy and please review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. **


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